As the state is still grappling with the aftermath of devastating flood, this year’s festival started without the usual grand opening.

Representative image.

Thiruvananthapuram: The 23rd edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) kick started here.

As the state is still grappling with the aftermath of devastating flood, this year’s festival started without the usual grand opening.

With big names in Indian cinema in attendance, Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the event. “Festivals are a means to take secular ideas among masses and a way to sustain humanity. IFFK stands true to this ideology. We did not give up in the face of calamity. The festival is testament to the solidarity of film lovers,” Viajayan said on the occasion.

Minister for Cultural Affairs AK Balan, presiding over the function said despite fund crunch and lack of resources, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy managed to drum up enough for the smooth conduct of the festival. He appreciated the organisers for bringing a good collection of movies for film lovers.
Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi received the lifetime achievement award and a cash prize of Rs five lakhs.

Nandita Das, chief guest on the occasion, recollected how the festival played host to her first movie as an actor, Fire (1996) and as a director Firaaq (2008). Das’ film Manto will also be screened at IFFK.

The event also had the launch of festival handbook, festival bulletin and the festival issue of Academy brought film magazine Sameeksha.

This time around, 164 movies from 72 countries will be screened across 13 movie halls. There are 488 screenings altogether. Paying homage to violinist Balabhaskar, a special pavilion has been put up in his name. The jury is headed by Majid Majidi, whose films are a hot pick among the IFFK crowd.